26 April 1999
Loughborough University named as Cricket University Centre of Excellence
Loughborough University has been chosen by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to be one of its University Centres of Excellence. The scheme, which will come into effect in October 2000, aims to ensure that the best young cricketers are encouraged to go into further education by providing them with the best possible opportunities to develop their cricket at university. Around 20 academic institutions submitted proposals under the scheme, and Loughborough is one of six to have been chosen.
Dr Guy Jackson, Loughborough University’s Director of Cricket, says, "The announcement of Loughborough as a Centre of Excellence is recognition of our existing first class facilities and support services, outstanding performances and excellent development initiatives, and our ability to further the development of young cricketers with excellent potential."
The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Wallace, added, "This exciting opportunity is a great credit to Guy Jackson’s commitment to student development and cricket."
Under the scheme, each Centre will be expected to provide excellent indoor and outdoor cricket facilities, sports science and medical support — including fitness testing, sports psychology and physiotherapy, and medical advice — and a cricket programme for its students, including specialist sessions from visiting coaches. The ECB plans to contribute £50,000 per year, via a combination of direct funding and sponsorship, to each of the Centres.
"Leicestershire County Cricket Club has been working with Loughborough for a number of years," comments Chief Executive of Leicestershire County Cricket Club David Collier. "We recognise that Loughborough is one of the world’s premier sporting institutions, and are pleased to see the potential contribution it can make to cricket and to developing young players, by providing for their continuing education as well as maintaining their potential for the professional game. The scheme is part of some excellent changes that ECB has initiated, and Leicestershire are behind it wholeheartedly."
Rod Thorpe, the University’s Director of Sports Development, adds, "Whilst we are delighted that we will be even better able to help our own cricketers, we are also pleased that this will help develop our on-going links with Midland County Clubs in, for example, sports science support and coach development etc. This initiative will complement other sports developments at the University and other cricket developments in the region."
In its announcement of the scheme, the ECB stated that a balance of an established cricket pedigree, high quality facilities, a full range of academic courses, and the provision of excellent sports science and medicine input had been reflected in their choice. It was also noted that "five of the six centres would play home matches on First Class Cricket Grounds", and that "the sixth, Loughborough, already possessed one of the finest University cricket grounds in the country."
Under the scheme Loughborough’s Centre of Excellence will provide:
• The opportunity to combine degree level and postgraduate education with elite cricket performance, at a University with an international reputation for excellence in sport, and academic programmes, staff and support facilities already attuned to the problems and opportunities experienced by high level sports performers.
• Access to specialist, high level and experienced coaches.
• A high standard of academic, ancillary, technical, sports science and medical support — such as a state of the art fitness suite, accommodation dedicated to elite sports performers, and the University’s Careers and Counselling Services.
• First rate facilities including two high standard outdoor playing areas; two indoor sports halls; a bowling machine; and equipment for technical analysis.
• Access to the most extensive range of elite sports development initiatives in the country — including the Loughborough Sports Scholarship programme
• The opportunity to expand research into cricket performance, and for jointly-funded research projects directed by Cricket-oriented staff, in conjunction with Loughborough’s leading experts in the fields of, for example, sports science, sports development, physical education, coach education, sports management, sports marketing, sports engineering.
The other accredited universities or groups of academic institutions in the scheme are:
• Bradford University, Bradford College, Leeds University and Leeds Metropolitan University
• Cambridge University and Anglia Polytechnic University
• Cardiff University, University of Wales Institute Cardiff and the University of Glamorgan
• Durham University
• Oxford University and Oxford Brookes
ENDS
For further information contact Hannah Baldwin, Publicity Office, on (01509) 222239, mobile 07971 163522, or email h.e.baldwin@lboro.ac.uk
Note to editors
The NatWest-sponsored Loughborough University 1
st team are being lined up to play India in a World Cup warm-up match on Friday 30 April at Oakham School. The match is still to be confirmed — please call Hannah Baldwin, Publicity Office, on (01509) 222239 for the latest information. Members of the press and media will be warmly invited to come along, for filming and interview opportunities in connection with the Centre of Excellence.1. Loughborough University Sports Scholars are undergraduates and postgraduates who excel in sport. Each receives an annual cash award to help, for example, with expenses for training, equipment and travel, as well as considerably more than the equivalent in other benefits and services. To date, over a hundred individual and two team awards have been given, making Loughborough’s sports scholarship scheme the largest in the UK.
2. Loughborough’s Cricket Scholarships have to date been in partnership with Leicestershire County Cricket Club. The scheme identifies exceptional talent within schools (providing financial support, and cricket provision and coaching), and ultimately feeds the students into Higher Education, where coaching support is continued through the University and the relevant County Development Squads.